Hiroshima University, Yamaguchi University, and Tokushima University have jointly established a consortium called “Home for Innovative Researchers and Academic Knowledge Users (HIRAKU).” The consortium focuses on human resource development and the allocation of young researchers and graduate students in cooperation with firms, universities, and institutes in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions. Supported by Funds for the Development of Human Resources in Science and Technology through Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), the consortium aims to improve the regional potential in science, technology, and innovation. As a main part of its activities, the member organizations of the Consortium have launched a joint call for applications for tenure-track researcher's positions from promising young researchers within and outside Japan in order to promote in these regions and encourage them to become distinguished researchers. For these purposes, the ideal candidate for the position will be required to conduct active independent research in the specified research fields as a tenure-track assistant professor at each university, collaborate with diverse actors, contribute to the Consortium, and develop the research career in an uncertain world.

For this job opening, Hiroshima University invites applications for one full-time tenure-track assistant professor position in Physical Chemistry

1. Number of Positions Available, Areas of Research and Institution(1) Job classification: Assistant Professor (tenure-track)(2) Number of positions available: One(3) Areas of Research: Physical Chemistry(4) Affiliation (Appointment):Academy of Hiroshima University (Graduate School of Science)

2. Application RequirementsApplicants must satisfy all of the following requirements.① Applicants should hold a PhD that was acquired after April 1, 2007, or haveequivalent research experience, and should be under 40 years old (*1) as of April 1,2017.② Applicants should be able to communicate in English.③ Applicants should be able to lecture and provide research supervision toundergraduate and graduate students in Japanese or English.④ Applicants should be able to begin working immediately after October 1, 2018, andno later than the end of the Japanese fiscal year 2018.⑤ Applicants should actively contribute to science, technology, and innovation

*1: Applicants who participated in the mandatory clinical practice in Japan are eligible to apply unless they are 43 years old or older as of April 1, 2017. Since this project is supported by Funds for the Development of Human Resources in Science and Technology under MEXT, these age restrictions are subject to exceptional treatment by the Ordinance for Enforcement of the “Koyou taisaku” Act 1-3 (1-(3-2)).

3. Employment Conditions

(1) Term of Appointment-The term of appointment is from October 1, 2018, to September 30, 2023.-An assistant professor (tenure-track) of this job opening could possibly change his orher workplace within the consortium organizations through an agreement between theconsortium and the assistant professor. In such a case, the term of appointment willremain the same, and the assistant professor will adhere to the standards of eachorganization.-The assistant professor will receive midterm evaluations by September 2021 and finalevaluations by March 2023. The assistant professor who passes his or her tenurereviews with Hiroshima University will receive a tenured position, which is on apermanent basis with a mandatory retirement age.-Depending on the final evaluation by the consortium, an assistant professor holdingthis position could be appointed by an organization that participates in the consortiumthrough an agreement between the assistant professor and the organization.

(2) Annual Salary

① Annual salary, including allowances, will be approximately4,800,000-6,600,000 yen depending on the successful applicant’s researchexperience (salaries will be calculated according to the annual salary rules ofHiroshima University).② Various types of insurance (The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Mutual Aid Association, unemployment, and accidentcompensation) are available to an assistant professor of Hiroshima University.

(3) Work Conditions① The employment conditions and regulations of Hiroshima University shallapply as deemed appropriate.② The first place of employment will be located on the Higashi-Hiroshimacampus of Hiroshima University.③ A discretionary working-hour system is in place for professional work. Thismeans assistant professors can manage their own working hours, althoughformal working hours are considered to be 7 hours and 45 minutes a day.④ A maternity and childcare leave system will be applied.

4. Work DescriptionAn assistant professor holding this position will be required carry out the assistantprofessor’s work of each organization and contributions for the consortium as listedbelow.① Conducting research activities inside and outside the consortium based on theresearch plan (“research effort” should be more than 60%)② Actively working to obtain external research funds③ Producing research outputs (e.g., publication in SCI journals and/or patents)④ Disseminating research outputs to society, including presenting results atinternational conferences⑤ Giving lectures and advising undergraduate and graduate students in theirresearch⑥ Participating in activities related to external research funds (even researchactivities related to external funds will be included as part of the research effort)⑦ Being involved in other duties as considered necessary by each organization⑧ Planning and operating international meetings, symposiums, and networkactivities organized or co-organized by the consortium⑨ Attending training, lectures on faculty development, etc., conducted byorganizations in the consortium⑩ Being involved in other duties as considered necessary by the head of theexecutive committee of the consortium

5. Special Notices Related to the Consortium

(1) Role of the consortium in this job opening, processes for employment and career development in the consortium-Application materials should be submitted to the secretariat of the HIRAKUconsortium. The council of the consortium will determine the successful candidateafter consulting with the organization that will accept the candidate. The successfulcandidate will then be hired by the organization as a faculty member (hereinafterreferred to as a Consortium Assistant Professor).-The term of the Consortium Assistant Professor will be same as 3(1).-For the betterment of his or her development as a researcher, the ConsortiumAssistant Professor might be able to conduct his or her research at otherorganizations inside or outside of the consortium. Such arrangements should bemade through an agreement between the consortium and the Consortium AssistantProfessor.-Consortium Assistant Professors are expected not only to conduct excellent researchbut also to be involved in consortium-related teaching, networking, and trainingactivities to further their career development as researchers.-Consortium Assistant Professors are expected to provide experiences and informationfor the consortium through the activities described above, via evaluation and trainingprocesses with their mentors in order to assist us in improving this system.-Thus, applicants will be evaluated based on not only their research results andpotential but also their ability to collaborate with diverse actors and develop theirresearch careers by utilizing the research and training opportunities described above.

(2) Research FundsDuring the first fiscal year, about 5,000,000 yen (*2) will be provided to eachConsortium Assistant Professor as a start-up fund. In addition, during the term ofappointment, about 500,000 yen per year (*2) will be provided for the consortiumactivities such as for training and registration costs for domestic or internationalconferences. These funds must be used in accordance with the regulations of theworkplace, the funding agencies, and the Japanese government.*2: The amount could change depending on the grant-in-aid situation

(3) Personnel Support① Research and teaching education will be supported by mentors who are seniorresearchers in the consortium.② Other research and teaching activities will be supported by university researchadministrators (URAs).

(4) Additional RemarksPersonal research spaces (offices and laboratories) will be preferentially allocated for Consortium Assistant Professors.

6. Application Materials

(1) Application Documents① Curriculum vitae (including expected research field and workplace as bellow,using application form 7)- Academy of Hiroshima University (Graduate School of Science)- Physical Chemistry② List of research activities (e.g., books, reviews, original papers, conferenceproceedings); attach copies of no more than five major papers③ Summary of past research activities (up to four pages on A4 paper includingfigures)④ Research plan at the consortium (up to four pages on A4 paper including figures,a future research plan for five years to come)⑤ Aspirations for contributions to science, technology, and innovation (one pageon A4 paper)⑥ List of references*All of the above documents must be written in English or Japanese and be filled inthe application form. The application form can be downloaded from the followingURL: http://home.hiroshima-u.ac.jp/hiraku/younger_tenuretrack/

(2) Inquiries about ApplicationsPlease contact us with any questions by e-mail at:General information and procedure of this job opening:consortium-koubo@office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp(Secretariat of the HIRAKU consortium)Specific information for the research environment of this job opening: ri-jinji@office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp(HR Administrator, Support Office of Graduate School of Science,Management Support Division of Higashi-Hiroshima Campus,Hiroshima University)

(5) Protection of Private InformationPrivate information related to the application is protected by the PersonalInformation Protection Law and the consortium’s regulations (for the moment, wewill invoke the regulations of Hiroshima University). Personal information relatedto submitted documents may be provided to other organizations in the consortium,through the council and/or executive committee of the consortium, with strictmeasures to avoid information leakage.

7. Deadline for Submission and the Selection Process(1) Deadline for SubmissionThe deadline for submitting the application is 10 a.m. on April 2, 2018 (JapanStandard Time).

(2) SubmissionAll documents should be submitted in PDF format with the file nameConsortium(9)_(last name of applicant_first initial) (e.g.,Consortium(9)_(Einstein_A)) to the following e-mail address:consortium-koubo@office.hiroshima-u.ac.jp(Secretariat of the HIRAKU consortium)The total file size must not exceed 10 MB. Larger documents may be submittedin separate files numbered as follows: 1/2, 2/2, etc. File compression must not beused. The secretariat will send a confirmation of receipt to each applicant. It isstrongly advisable to make sure this confirmation message arrives after submittingthe application.

(3) Selection Schedule① The first screening (by the specific research area) The results of the first screening will be announced by e-mail to applicantsaround late May 2018. Successful candidates from the first screening will be given informationabout the second screening. There is a possibility that an interview will also be conducted during thefirst screening. In this case, the transportation cost for the interview will notbe reimbursed.② The second screening (by interview) will be conducted around June or July2018. The results of the second screening will be announced to the applicants bythe end of July 2018. The transportation cost for the second screening will be reimbursed by theconsortium.

(4) Selection StandardsThe first and second screening will evaluate the candidates in terms of researchactivities, originality and realization of research plans, and potential research impact(e.g., contribution to science, technology, and innovation).

8. Additional Remarks(1) We strongly welcome applications from international researchers.(2) Hiroshima University enforces support for female researchers.① Each female Consortium Assistant Professor will receive guidance related to jobenvironment preparation and maintenance via the Gender Equality PromotionOffice and a section of the Career-up Program for Women Researchers in theHuman Resources Training Promotion Office of Hiroshima University.② A female mentor will be assigned to each female Consortium Assistant Professoras well as a normal mentor as described in 5 (3)-①.③ On- and off-campus nurseries are available. The support staff of the universitywill provide assistance in finding a nursery. Hiroshima University enforces gender equality. Details can be found on thewebsite of the Gender Equality Promotion Office.